Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines



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No. 572,682. Pateri-ted Dec. 8, 1896.

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FEEDING: MECHANISM POR'SEWING MAGHINE S. No. 572,682.

Patented Dec '8, 1896.

WTNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. MERROWV, OF MANSFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 572,682, dated December 8, 1896.

Application filed January 3, 1894.

To all whom it may concern:

.. use in connection with machines of the genbeing operated in a positive manner and con- Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. MERROW, of Mansfield, (Merrow,) in the county of Tolland and State of Connecticut, haveinvented cer-. tain new and useful Improvements in Feed Mechanism for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in feeding apparatus of sewing and other machines in which an intermitting feed-motion is employed, the special form of embodiment herein shown being adapted for' eral character represented in my Patent No. 540,676, of June 11, 1895.

The object of my invention is to produce a new feeding apparatus adapted to run continuously at a high rate of speed, all its parts taining necessary provision for adjusting the length of feed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of the feeding mechanism as applied to a stitch-forming machine, the work-plate being partly broken away to uncover the feed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, a portion of the casing being broken away. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a top view of the eccentric rod or connection with portions of the links and rocker in section. Fig. 5 is a side view of the eccentric rod or connection with the links and rocker attached. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the links and eccentric rod or connection.

Similar letters and numerals of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

Machines of the class referred to in my prior patent are usually provided with two separate feed-dogs, one to operate upon the fabric and the other upon the edging applied thereto, and inillustrating my present invention I have shown it in a form involving the use of two separate feed-dogs or serratedsurfaces for acting upon and advancing the fabric, with means for independently adjusting the length of the feed-motion produced by each; but I wish it to be distinctly under- Serial No. 495,556. (No model.)

surface will be caused to act upon the fabric.

For convenience one of the feed-dogs may be regarded as the principal and the other as the supplemental feeding member, and I will proceed to first describe the apparatus as if provided with but a single feeding member, to wit, the principal or usual feed-dog, and will thereafter explain the connections for the supplemental feed-dog.

A portion of the main frame is represented at A, while B indicates the work-plate; B, the needle-plate; C, the presser-foot; D, the needle, and E the main shaft. All of the foregoing parts are usually found in sewing-machines and are here shown not as parts of the present improvements, but as representing the preferred mode of applying the invention.

To the shaft E is secured a flanged eccentric 1, and upon said eccentric, between its flanges, is mounted an eccentric rod,'strap, or connection 2, whose outer or rear end is pivotally connected to a rocker 3, as by a pin 4. The rocker 3 is pivotally attached to the frame in a plane above the pin 4, as by suspending it upon a stud or shaft 5, secured in or wing 6, in or upon which is formed a segmental slot 7 for the reception of an adj 11stable stud 8, borne by a link or pitman 10,

whose opposite end is pivotally attached to a swinging lever 11. This swinging lever has its lower portion pivotally supported upon the frame, as by the rod 12, and its upper end is pivotally attached to the rear end of the feed-carrier 13. To the opposite or front end of the feed-carrier 13 the feed-dog 14 is adj ustably secured, and at an intermediate point, preferably at or near the center of its length,

the feed-carrier is connected to the eccentric connection 2 through the medium of a link 15. The parts thus far described constitute a single-feed mechanism, and itwill be noticed that not only are the several parts so constructed and arranged that all theirmovements are positively effected, thereby preventing racing and false vibrations incident to the use of springs when driven at high rates of speed, but, further, that a single-operating eccentric is made to perform the double office of effecting both the vertical and horizontal movements involved in four-motion feed mechanisms, and at the same time ample provision is made for adjusting the length of the feed.

The horizontal motion of the feed-dog is produced by the alternate thrust and pull of the eccentric connection, the latter operating to oscillate the rocker 3 upon its pivotal center, the motion being transmitted to the feedcarrier 13 through link 10 and swinging lever 11. The amount or degree of horizontal motion communicated to the feed-carrier depends upon the location of the point of attachment between the link 10 and rocker 3, and by shifting said point of attachment nearer to or farther from the pivotal center of the rocker the length of the are through which the link will be compelled to reciprocate can be determined and the length of the feed movement proportionally varied.

The vertical movement of the feed-dog, by which it is raised into engagement with the fabric during its forward horizontal motion and retracted or lowered during the return horizontal motion, is also derived from the eccentric connection, which latter has motion upon two centers, the one coincident with the axis of the driving-shaft carrying the eccentric and the other the axis of the pivot upon which the rocker turns.

One end of the eccentric connection swings in the arc of a circle whose center is above the plane of said connection, while the opposite end traverses an orbit about the eccentric. Hence the motion at the point where the link 15 is attached, intermediate the ee-- centric and rocker, is a mean or resultant of the two motions.

The movement imparted by link 15 is further modified by its attachment to the feedcarrier at a point intermediate the feed-dog and the swinging lever 11, which supports the rear end of said carrier, and as the swinging lever has its pivotal point of support below the feed-carrier the rear end of the latter is caused to traverse an arc of a circle, thereby alternately elevating and depressing the rear end of the feed-carrier.

As a result of this arrangement of parts the feed-dog is given an orbital movement, the upper horizontal portion of which is flattened to such adegree that during the forward or feeding movement the feed-dog will move in a practically straight line and at the termination of the feeding movement will drop down out of engagement with the fabric and return through a curved path and be again elevated into contact with the fabric as it again enters the flattened portion of its orbit. Thus a single eccentric is made to control absolutely and positively all the motions of the feed-dog. When it is desired to employ a supplemental feeding mechanism, as in machines requiring two independent feeding members, the rocker 3 is formed or provided with a second projection or wing 20 for receiving the adjustable stud 21 of a link 22, the latter being connected to a swinging lever 23.

The supplemental feed-dog 24 is borne by a feed-carrier 25, whose rear end is pivoted to swinging lever 23, while a link 26 connects it to the eccentric connection 2, as indicated in the drawings.

It will be observed that the supplemental feeding mechanism is substantially identical with the principal feed mechanism hereinbefore described up to the rocker and eccentric connection, these two elements being common to both feed mechanisms, and, further, that a single eccentric is utilized in operating two independently-adjustable feed mechanisms.

An independent presser-foot D may, if desired, be employed for cooperation with the supplemental feed-dog 24:.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a feed mechanism, such as described, the combination with the feed-carrier 13; the lever 11, to the upper end of which feed-carrier 13 is pivoted; the rocker 3 pivoted to the frame and provided with a wing 6; the link 10 connecting lever 11 to the wing 6 of rocker 3; the driving-eccentric; the eccentric connection 2 one end whereof engages the driving-eccentric while the other is connected to the rocker below its pivot and a link 15 joinin g the eccentric connection and feed-carrier, substantially as described.

2. In a feed mechanism for a sewing-machine, the combination of the driving-eccentric the eccentric connection 2 supported at one end upon the eccentric and at the other upon the rocker 3; rocker 3 pivotally supported upon the frame above the point of attachment of the eccentric connection; the lever 11 vertically arranged and pivotally supported below the eccentric connection; link 10 connected at one end to the lever 11 and at the other end to the wing 6 of rocker 3 to one side of the pivot of the latter; and the feed-carrier 13 horizontally arranged above the eccentric connection and connected to the latter by link 15 and to the upper end of lever 11; substantially as described.

. JOSEPH M. MERROVV.

Witnesses:

CHAS. M. J OSLYN, GEO. H. GILMAN. 

